Summary
The producer behind the upcomingDragon Ball: Sparking! Zerowas inspired by fellow fighting gameDragon Ball FighterZ, along with its competitive esports scene. Fans were fervently awaiting more news regarding Bandai Namco’s newDragon Ballgame, which is another entry in the classicBudokai Tenkaichiseries. Bandai Namco finally revealeda brand-new trailer for the next entry in theDragon Ball Budokai Tenkaichiseriesat The Game Awards 2023.
TheDragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichiseries is composed of 3D arena fighting gamesthat simulate the feeling of a bigDragon Ball Zbattle. The third entry in particular is frequently hailed as the series' peak, as gamers are able to recreate iconic moments and battles. While other 3D arena fighters have been released post-Budokai Tenkaichi 3, not many games have captured the same spirit as it in the same way since. OtherDragon Ballgames have since taken on different approaches, such asFighterZbeing a strictly 2D fighting game or theXenoverseseries focusing on having an avatar explore the Dragon World. Recently, producer Jun Furutani went into detail about why Bandai Namco is reviving the classic franchise, as well as its inspirations for the new entry.
In aninterview with IGN, Furutani states that he felt it was a perfect time for theBudokai Tenakaichiseries to make a return, wanting to deliver an “evolved"Dragon Ballexperience on next-gen systems. This was inspired from his time observing theDragon Ball FighterZcompetitive scene, where players enjoyed recreatingiconicDragon Ballbattles. As such, he wanted players ofSparking! Zeroto have a similar experience. “The focus here is to push the limits of how much a player can completely immerse themselves into the world and how intensely we can make that [happen],” says Furutani.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zerobeing inspired byFighterZisn’t likely to be a surprise, considering how the game is taking on a much sleeker anime-styled look that resembles Arc System Works' game. Furutani explains that during the game’s five-year development period, the developers decided onusing Unreal Engine 5to allow for greater immersion and graphical detail. He cites one example, where characters that collide through mountains or boulders after being attacked are rendered in real-time, which fans can see in action by looking at how the environment reacts in the announcement trailer.
The focus here is to push the limits of how much a player can completely immerse themselves into the world and how intensely we can make that [happen].
Furutani also explains why the game is titledDragon Ball: Sparking! Zero,which is what theBudokai Tenkaichiseries is called in Japan. He notes that while the “Zero” subtitle might make it seem like the game is a reboot of the series, the title is instead meant embody this new entry being an accessible starting point for newcomers. During the IGN interview, Furutani beckoned fans to look forward to more details about the game in the future.
Dragon Ball Z
Cast
Dragon Ball Z is a Japanese anime series produced by Toei Animation and a sequel to the 1986 Dragon Ball series. It continues the adventures of Son Goku as an adult while also paralleling the life of his son Gohan. Son Goku typically defends the Earth from villains like Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu. The series is followed by Dragon Ball GT and then Dragon Ball Super.
